Victim of Darkness
by infinityeverchanging
Summary: Brianne (OC) meets Sting and Rogue of Sabertooth after being attacked in the forest. The twins convince her to join Sabertooth even after hearing her life story, promising to help rid her of her figurative demons. Things get complicated when the magic council find her... Post GMG, Nice Master!Minerva, NO ROMANCE.
1. Chapter 1

Hey guys, I did some grammar editing since I first posted this, as I was still developing my writing. Sorry about any confusion!

Onto the Story~

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><p>"When will this ever stop happening to me?"<p>

I just finished beating up yet _another_ large group of mages that tried to mug me. "I tell them they're no match for me, but do they ever listen? Nope!"

I started to walk away from the scene when I heard someone coming. "Ah crap! I can't let anyone know it was me!"

I hid behind a tree and waited until I heard them walk by. '_Phew! I think I lost them' _I whispered to myself.

"Well, what do we have here?" someone asked over my shoulder.

I gasped as I turned around to see two men in front of me.

'_THIS CAN'T BE HAPPENING.'_

The two mages in front of me were none other than Sting Eucliffe and Rogue Cheney, the Twin Dragons of Sabertooth. They are my _idols_. I've read about them in Sorcerer Weekly whenever I could and I've always wanted to meet them. But not like this. Never like this.

I realized that I've been silent this whole time. I stutter, "u-uh…."

Sting spoke up. "Wow you're a weird one! Why were you hiding from us?"

I tried my best to make up a reason. "I, uh, just finished being attacked by a group of mages, so I was still alert, so when I heard you coming I hid…" I mumbled.

Sting raised an eyebrow and smiled slyly, "But we overheard you saying that you couldn't let anyone know it was you. Obviously we would find the mages lying defeated, so why would it be bad if it was you, huh?"

I stood stuck against the tree trying desperately to think of what I could say in order to get him off my case. Luckily, Rogue spoke up for me, "Sting, stop scaring her. Sorry about that, my partner can be a little nosy sometimes."

I turned to Rogue, "its ok…" I shyly reply.

"Though to be honest, after overhearing you boast about beating those mages I'm curious about your fighting skills. Those mages weren't pushovers, and yet you managed to beat 20 of them by yourself. I couldn't even feel your magic power."

I stuttered again, trying to figure out how to explain my situation without giving away my secrets. "I travel a lot by myself, so, unfortunately, I get attacked by bands of mages trying to mug me and stuff. I've gotten used to fighting without my magic so I don't draw attention to myself. It's really no big deal!" I said, trying to wave it off and smile largely at them, but they looked at me like they knew something's not right.

'_I have to get out of here!'_

I tried to get away, quickly saying, "It's awesome that I got to meet you guys and thanks for making sure I was ok I gotta go see ya!"

"Wait."

I froze at Rogue-samas stern voice and turned around, trying to act innocent and not suspicious.

_'Is Rogue-sama on to me?!' _

"Why are you in such a haste to go? You've been acting weird since we found you, and it's difficult to lie to me. What's really going on with you and why were you nervous about us knowing how you fight?" he, inquired, eyes narrowed.

_'FUCKIN SHIT HE KNOWS.'_

I sighed in defeat. "You caught me… I don't know why I even tried lying to you of all people, Rogue-sama."

Rogue looked at me through squinted eyes, "Do I know you?"

"Oh, OH GOD no, no you don't, I'm just a fan. I read about you, Sting-sama, and Sabertooth in Sorcerer Weekly whenever I can! You guys are amazing mages, and I really admire your guild... oh god, I sound like a stalker!" I rambled, shaking a bit with embarrassment.

Rogue smiled. "It's alright; I'm flattered that you admire us actually. Most people like Fairy Tail better than us, because of how we acted before and during the Grand Magic Games."

I returned his smile and explained, "Well I do understand why so many people like them, but I think Sabertooth has a better 'story' if you will. You guys changed your ways after being shown kindness and friendship, and that's a huge part of why Sabertooth is my favorite guild. You guys saw the error of your ways and brought in a new way of doing things. It's hard to change after being one way for so long, but I know how that feels. It motivates me to keep going."

"What do you mean?" he asked, intrigued.

I looked down a little and thought back. "I-I haven't had the best past, and I've been trying my best to change and leave it behind. I haven't fully been able to yet though…"

"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't know..." said Rogue apologetically.

"It's alright, Rogue-sama. I've been able to live with it for as long as I have, so I'll be fine."

"You shouldn't have to live with it though"

I looked up, surprised to hear Sting bothered by my statement. "No one should have to deal with terrible pasts, and even if it's unavoidable you shouldn't have to do it alone. How long have you even been by yourself?"

"Thank you for your concern, Sting-sama, but I've been alone for a number of years and, like I said, I've been just fine so far."

"No you haven't! I can see it in your eyes! You still have demons you're struggling with and I'll be damned if you keep battling them alone. What could be so terrible as to make you live by yourself through this?" shouted Sting, clearly upset.

"Sting, stop asking her such personal questions! You're scaring her again dammit!" snapped Rogue.

After a few seconds of the twins arguing, I interrupted them. "It's alright; I'm just not used to people talking with me on a level deeper than light conversation."

Both dragon slayers stopped fighting and turned to me. Rogue sighed, "Ok, now I'm beginning to agree with Sting on this one. You've been living alone for years without any social interaction beyond a small conversation, you have personal demons you're still struggling with, and you've been an incredibly nice person this whole time. I can't just ignore this."

I tried to figure out what Rogue was insinuating, "Wait, what?"

The dragon mages shared a look and nodded at each other. Sting smiled and said, "You're coming back with us to Sabertooth."

I swore I almost had a heart attack.

"**_WHAT?!"_**

'_I can't believe I just got asked to go to Sabertooth! By my two idols no less! This is the best moment of my life_!' I was about to agree when my heart broke a little bit and my emotions tanked.

"WAIT! I…" Their smiles dropped and they looked at me questioningly. Sting asked, "What?"

"I-I can't go with you…" I admitted dejectedly. Both of them were clearly shocked, though Sting was more than Rogue. "Why not?! Didn't you just get through saying how much you liked us and how similar we are?"

"Yes I did, and it's not that I don't want to come with you guys, honestly it would be my dream come true! It's just… I'm afraid that my past might catch up to me, and whatever happens will be on my shoulders; none of it would be good for the guild _or_ its mages."

Rogue hummed, "You never did tell us what about your past made your life become this way. Would it be ok to ask why it would be bad for the guild?"

I hesitated and thought about it for a second.

'_I need to keep myself a secret… but they're trustworthy mages. It would also be nice to get everything off my chest…"_

I summoned up my courage and looked straight at them. "On one condition: If I don't go with you, not a _soul_ is going to know about me, ok? I was _never_ here, and you two didn't meet me."

Rogue nodded in agreement, but Sting asked slyly, "And what if you _do_ come with us?"

I thought for a moment. "If, by some _miracle_, I _do _come with you, you have to bring me to your master so I can tell her everything. Also, everyone in the guild needs to know that I have the capacity to be dangerous and how I can be triggered. I don't want them to know the whole story, but I also don't want to endanger anyone without them knowing full well what I'm capable of."

They looked at me with their eyebrows raised before turning to each other and nodding. They faced me again. "Agreed." Sting smiled, "now I'm getting curious. Can you please tell us already?" he begged. Rogue nudged Sting to silence him. I showed a sad smile, "Let's sit down somewhere; this might take a while to fully explain."


	2. Chapter 2

I found a spot next to a stream and away from the mages I had defeated to tell them my story. I put my bag with all of my belongings in it on the ground and sat down cross-legged, and they silently followed suit. I sighed and began my tale.

"I had always felt that I was different. I had an aura about me that was present from the day I was born, and that had always made strangers wary. When I would meet people for the first time, they always looked very uncomfortable. My father would always talk to them in private after they met me, and that was when they would give me a chance and get to know me, and their wariness would go away. I was curious as to why I was different, and I finally asked my father about it on my 10th birthday. He agreed to tell me, saying that I was old enough and mature enough to understand, but I had to listen to him closely. He told me that along with my regular magic which I inherited from him, I had a certain kind of magic inside me that was not normal; this was why people would be afraid to talk to me. He told me that people I met would only warm up to me after he explained to them about my magic and that I had no idea that I even had it. He warned me not to try and use any magic at all, because no one in the village would be able to stop me if I lost control of the dark magic. Now I understood why people acted the way they did, and I had never really considered using magic in the first place anyways. I agreed and I forgot about it. My thoughts about magic stayed away for three years, but..."

Sting and Rogue waited silently and patiently as I ready myself to remember.

"When I was 13, my village was attacked by a dark guild who wanted to take it as its base, since we had a lot of natural resources nearby. Our village didn't have any strong mages. We were mostly farming folk, so there was no need for guilds. There were mages, like my father, but none used fighting magic. We couldn't stop them from destroying the village and killing some of the villagers, but the real horror story happened when they came to my house. My family lived on the outskirts of village, and we hid ourselves in our basement while my father stayed outside to protect us. I heard commotion coming from outside and went out to see what had happened. My mother tried to stop me, but it was already too late. I had seen my father struck down in front of my eyes, and I blacked out after I saw him hit the ground."

I held my head in my hands. "I was never an angry kid. I always managed to get along with people, and be polite regardless of how they treated me. I had never before in my life known the feeling of helplessness, of sorrow, of _rage._ When I woke up…"

I couldn't keep a tear or two from escaping my eyes as I remembered, but I continued. "I was in the middle of the village. Bodies were strewn everywhere: both dark mages _and_ villagers. I looked down at myself and saw blood all over my hands and torso. I realized after walking through the village and going back to my house that in my rage I had been taken over by my dark magic, and had _killed_ everyone in the village, no matter who they were." I looked up at Sting and Rogue, my voice shaking, "I _murdered_ my _friends_, m-my _family_…"

Sting and Rogue stared at me in shock. I dried my eyes and continued.

"After I mourned in the village for a few hours I decided to leave. I thought if someone came by and found me alone in the village, I would go to jail, or be killed for murdering everyone. I gathered as many supplies as I could, and after saying goodbye to my friends and family, and my only home, I left. I had a map with me that I had found, and traveled to the nearest town in order to figure out what I was going to do with my new life. I was able to travel peacefully for a few days, the only thing hindering me being my lack of sleep from the nightmares. One day I was sitting at a campsite I made for myself when a boy about my same age walked into my camp. He introduced himself, and I to him, not thinking anything of it. We engaged in simple conversation, mostly about surviving alone. He gave me some useful advice too. The boy, Alex, told me that he was a collector of stories, and asked for mine, as he was curious. I told him my tale. I had trusted him, since he seemed to be a wanderer like me. After he listened to my story, he asked if I considered seeking help, to which I said no. I wanted to stay away from people and avoid hurting anyone else. He told me that while he disagreed, he respected my wishes and took his leave. I didn't think about the exchange anymore until one day I found out that someone had found my village in destruction and reported it. I realized that the story collector was the one to blame. He must've been the one who told the council. The magic council looked at the record of everyone in the village and noticed I was missing. They had posted a wanted poster of me, asking that I be brought in for 'questioning'. I was labeled 'potentially dangerous' and that brute force was authorized by both officials and the public to bring me to the council. I wasn't fooled, and avoided populated places from then on, but I was found by them in the woods once. I was still unstable from what had happened just a week ago, so when they attacked me, I tried fighting back. I blacked out again, and woke up to 5 dead soldiers and blood on my hands. I was so afraid of what was happening to me. I had no idea what I was doing! Then and there I made the decision to try and control my powers. I traveled to a new town and bought every book on magic I could buy with what little money I had. I traveled into the nearby woods and was trying to find a place to camp when I found a little house instead. The man who lived there by the name of Omoiyari noticed me, and welcomed me into his home. Strangely, I felt at ease with him. He let me live with him, and even offered to train me in my magic, since used the same kind. For a few months I trained with him, becoming stronger and more skilled with my magic and my nightmares lessened..."

I thought about what happened next and dropped my head again.

"The peace was ruined when it happened again. I had used my dark magic. and I were out in a field by his house sparring when we were attacked by a rogue band of mages. They all went for and before I knew it I blacked out once again. When I woke up, I was surprised. Instead of bodies strewn around me and blood on my hands, I woke up in the house with next to me. I asked what happened and if he was alright, and told him that I would understand if he wanted me gone. He told me to lie back down and rest, and that he had known about my dark magic. He felt it in me when I first met him, and he was prepared when I used it against the mages that attacked us. I asked him how and why, not understanding or comprehending that anyone would blindly trust me if they knew about my dark magic. He explained that he found me to be a good person, regardless of the magic I harbored. Part of his reason for training me was to get my dark magic under control, and to develop my normal magic to use to defend myself. I asked how he stopped me, and he chuckled and said I asked a lot of questions."

I smiled softly at the memory.

"After I apologized, he explained that while I was occupied with our attackers, he knocked me unconscious and beat the mages. Apparently, my dark power was only as strong as my normal magic was, unless I was in a pure state of rage. That's why I was able to be stopped by him, but my original act of terror couldn't be. I was angry at him for training me, seeing as he knew that my dark power would increase, but I understood after he told me that he only trained me so that I could have something else to use in battle and to defend myself. He thought that if I could control my regular magic, then I wouldn't so easily revert to the darkness. Finally, he told me that he had learned during the battle, and from my nightmares, that I only use my hands when the dark magic takes over. From then on, I trained myself to fight with anything _but_ my hands. I would not give them the chance to kill ever again."

I looked down at the bandages on my hands and forearms, reminded of my past deeds.

"After 3 years of training in peace, my good luck ran out. The magic council had found out that I had been living with , and came to take me away. Luckily, had overheard some magic council soldiers while he was in town, so he had a chance to get back and tell me before they arrived. He told me that I had learned everything that he could teach me, and that I was strong enough to survive on my own. I gathered my things and thanked him for everything, and left."

I shed another tear as I thought about my previous teacher and friend. "I've been traveling to escape the council, and I haven't heard anything from since. I don't know what happened to him after the council came…. It's been three years since that day."

I looked up at Sting and Rogue, worried about how they would react to my tale. They just keep staring at me, mouths agape, so I assumed the worst. I grabbed my bag and got up to leave, feeling rejected. "Don't forget to keep your end of the bargain." I reminded then numbly. I turned and toke a few steps away from them before I felt a hand on each of my shoulders. My eyes shoot open in surprise and fear, as I felt their hands grip my shoulders and their magical power spike. I was afraid that they were going to kill me after hearing what I had done. I started shaking. Stings' right hand on my left shoulder gripped even harder as he spoke, "Stop shaking. You don't need to worry anymore. We're taking you back to Sabertooth."

I couldn't stop the tears from flowing.


	3. Chapter 3

After Rogue got me to stop crying (Sting was running around panicking that he had hurt me), we started walking to Sabertooth, myself being in between the two dragons. Sting, walking on my left, began telling me all about Sabertooth, specifically about a few of their closer friends. He boasted that "Sabertooth has a ton of strong mages who are great training partners and awesome people!" Rogue just smiled and walked silently on my other side. I felt Sting's gaze on me for a moment before he asked me, "Hey, your outfit is interesting. It kind of looks familiar too!" I looked to take stock of what I was wearing, as I had totally forgotten since I got dressed that morning.

I had on my tattered beige cape that wrapped around my neck loosely and fell to my ankles, my black sleeveless turtle neck top that stopped right below my chest, my maroon colored tight high-waisted pants with two silver buttons running down the front on either side with my matching maroon suspenders clipped to each top button, and on my feet were my black fighting boots, which had my toes and heels exposed, but ran up to my knees.

I blushed a little and winked at Sting, "Well, the power and change of heart aren't the only things from Sabertooth that have influenced me." Both Rogue and Sting blushed, and I chuckled at their awkwardness. Rogue, who had been silent since we started walking, directed his attention to my arms.

"Hey, you never told us what the deal was with your bandages."

I turned to Rogue, "Oh yea, well, remember when I told you that my dark magic only comes from my hands?"

They both nodded.

"Well after told me that, I started to abuse my hands and arms with cuts and bruises. I couldn't hide them from my teacher for long, but when he found out he told me that it was alright, since it was a way of coping with what happened to me. None of the scars or wounds is fresh though, the last time I purposefully abused my hands and arms was about a year ago."

Rogue still looked troubled, "Have you tried to heal them at all?"

I shook my head no and looked down at my hands. "Even if I was able to heal them, I wouldn't want to. They remind me of what I did in the past, and what I'm capable of in the future. The bandages are my shield against the darkness." I answered with a sad smile.

Rogue put his hand on my right one. "I understand."

As we approached the town that the guild was based in, I started to get nervous. Rogue noticed and reassured me that no soldiers or officers from the magic council inhabited their town because of their guild's power and reputation. I relaxed a little and thanked him for helping ease my worries.

I'm in awe as we walked through the gates and up to the guild hall, as I had never seen such a large and intricate guild complex before. The hillside was covered in various buildings inside a protective wall, with the large main guild hall at the very top that overlooked everything. A statue of a Sabertooth tiger stood proudly atop the hall next to the guild's banner. I heard them chuckle at me and I notice I've been staring wide-eyed at the building for a few minutes. I quickly caught up to them as they opened the doors and entered the hall. Sting announced loudly that they've returned and had successfully completed their mission. The guild became louder with congratulations and remarks about 'Sabertooths strong Twin dragons." Three mages came up to Sting and Rogue and started talking to them. I heard their voices through their conversation, and recognized them from when I watched the Grand Magic Games last year. The large muscular man was Orga, the Thunder God slayer; the smaller man in the fancy hat was Rufus, the memory man; and the woman in the white fluffy coat was Yukino, the celestial mage. I kept behind Sting and Rogue to try not to bring attention to myself, but my plan was foiled when two cats walked up to me. I recognized them as Sting and Rogues' exceeds, Lector and Frosch. Lector _loudly_ blew my cover, "Hey Sting-kun, who's this girl?" Sting and Rogue turned back to me, and everyone else in the guild turned to look at me as well.

I suddenly felt very vulnerable.

Orga spoke up, "Yea guys, who _is_ this girl?"

Sting answered Lector and Orgas' question proudly, saying, "Rogue and I found her on our way back from our mission, and once we introduce her to Lady Minerva, she'll be our new comrade!"

The guild hall instantly rumbled with all of the comments the other mages made: "Awesome!" "That's great!" "She's so pretty and mysterious!" "What's her name?!"

I instantly blushed from all the attention

'_I haven't been around this many people in years. And they're excited to see me!'_

Orga, Rufus and Yukino walked up to me. Orga commented first, "She looks so strong! Who would've thought that you two could find such a powerful lady to join us!" Rufus was next. "I have already placed her in my memory; I can't wait to see her skills in combat." He calmly said. Yukino approached last, "Thank goodness there's going to be another girl in the guild! I was starting to feel like the master and I were the only ones among these beastly men!"

I chuckled at that, and felt really beside myself.

'_I can't believe that they already like me so much!'_

"What is all this commotion?" a voice demanded.

Every mage turned to the right stairway to see Sabertooths' master, Minerva Orlando, in the doorway. I started shaking where I stood, instantly intimidated by her fierce aura. My feeling intensified as her strong gaze rested on me, and she raised one eyebrow in surprise. Luckily, Sting and Rogue stepped forward in front of me.

"Rogue and I found this girl on our way back from our mission and after hearing what she's dealt with in her past we agreed that we would ask you to accept her into the guild. She needs help that only Sabertooth can give her." Sting explained calmly.

The rest of the guild looked from Sting to me to Minerva, apparently surprised to see him act to serious over me. I felt Minerva's' eyes on me once again before she closed them and looked back at the twin dragons. "Sting, Rogue, bring her up to my office so I can decide myself whether or not she should join our guild." She said evenly. She then turned and walked away, I assumed towards her office.

I felt a hand on my shoulder, and turned to see Yukino giving me a comforting smile. "Don't worry; Lady Minerva is a nice and fair guild master, so she'll treat you right. We'll all be down here, ready to celebrate when you come downstairs as a new member of Sabertooth."

A great feeling of happiness welled up inside my chest, and I hugged Yukino. "Thank you, I'll be back soon." I started up the stairs with confidence, my two idols following close behind.

'_I can do this.'_

My confidence wavered a little bit as I stepped into Lady Minerva's' office. She was seated in her large chair, almost like a throne, looking me up and down. "So this is the girl you found? She certainly looks strong with those muscles. I'm curious as to what would prompt you two to bring her to Sabertooth." She stated, not a word wasted.

Sting spoke up, "Well my Lady, Rogue and I stumbled upon her on our way home, and she had taken out around 20 reasonably strong mages by herself, and without using her magic. Of course we were curious, so we asked her about it, and she agreed to tell us about herself. Her past is not pretty, and she is still struggling with something similar to Rogue's shadows. We believe that she would fit right into Sabertooth, and that we would be the best suited people to help her."

The woman raised her eyebrows a little and she turned her gaze to me, "tell me your story."

"Y-yes maim." I replied nervously.

I began the same way I did with the twins, and told her everything that I had told them, sparing no details. I was a little taken aback that she didn't react at all through my entire tale, but I realized that she'd probably heard far worse. After I finished, she continued to look at me like Sting and Rogue had, so I stepped forward and bowed a little, offering, "I completely understand if you do not accept me into your guild, as I could bring trouble-"

"Nonsense."

I raised my head in surprise.

'_Huh?'_

"Sting and Rogue were wise to bring you here, and they are correct." She stepped down from her chair and came up to me. "Your past was harsh, and I can see that there are demons in your eyes, but as everyone in our guild knows a terrible past, we here at Sabertooth are the best when it comes to vanquishing personal demons. I promise that we can help you control and even remove the dark magic from you."

I couldn't help but shed a few tears and sniff, "I-I…" I whimpered, trying to express my emotions. She opened her arms to me and I lost all composure, "_T-thank you so m-much!_" I cried, tears flowing freely. After a few moments, Sting and Rogue came over to put their hands on my shoulders, like they did before. I broke the hug with Lady Minerva and looked at each of them as I collected myself, then turned my attention back to my new master.

She looked at me and winked, "As for the council, we can keep them off your back for as long as possible."

I almost couldn't take this happy feeling. I bowed to my new master, "I am in your debt, Master Minerva."

"Don't worry about it young lady, I'm glad to help. Though I am curious, how do you already know my name?"

I gasped and stood up straight "Oh gosh! I didn't even realize! I know you from Sorcerer Weekly, as I've been a big fan of Sabertooth since the Grand Magic Games, and I knew you had taken over as the new master." I answered bashfully.

"I see. You don't have to call me master either; I prefer the title 'Lady'." She responded gently.

"Ok, I can do that."

"Good. Now before you go, I have one last question for you."

I gulped and ask, "Yes Lady Minerva?"

"What is your name? I don't believe I've heard it yet."

"Oh yes my name! My name is Brianne Clarke."

Lady Minerva raised an eyebrow, "Ah, so you _are _wanted by the council." She mused.

I froze for a moment in fear.

"Don't worry; I'm not going to report you. I only remember some of the other masters bringing you up once or twice in meetings. You look and sound much less dangerous in real life than in the rumors they were spreading."

I relaxed and addressed Lady Minerva, "I appreciate it, but depending on what they've said, they might be right. If you recall what I told you about my past, I can be very dangerous. I almost forgot to ask, but now that I'm a member of Sabertooth, I need everyone in the guild to know that I'm dangerous and how I can be triggered. As I told Sting-sama and Rogue-sama, I don't want to bear the guilt or responsibility if something goes wrong…"

"I understand. We will get you settled in and comfortable tonight, and tomorrow afternoon I will call a meeting of the guild and we can let everyone know about you. We don't have to tell them everything, just what is necessary. Also, since you brought up your magic, I want to gauge how strong and skilled you are in battle. I request that tomorrow I test your strength against Sting in a sparring match." She said.

"Thank you, and yes, I would love to show you my skills. I actually haven't fought against someone with my full power in a few years, so it will be a pleasure my Lady." I answer, delighted.

"Good, now why don't you go back down to the guild hall and meet everyone? I'm sure they'll be happy to introduce themselves to you. You will also need to find Yukino so that she can give you your guild mark." She advised.

I couldn't help but smile widely, "Yes!" I bowed to Lady Minerva again, and turned to leave. I smiled at Sting and Rogue, who smiled back and left with me.

That happy feeling just wouldn't go away.


	4. Chapter 4

'_I can't believe this is happening. I'm in my very own room in the Sabertooth guild!' _

Currently, I was lying on my new bed in my new bedroom, which was part of my new apartment in the guild. It wasn't huge (only a bedroom w/bathroom, living room, and kitchen), but it was perfect for me. I didn't have a lot of belongings since I traveled so much, and it felt cozy.

'_It's so cool that all of the guild members actually live in and around the guild building. I guess it makes sense, since the guild itself is so massive. They fit a 3 floor apartment complex into it!'_

My apartment was on the Third floor, along with some of the stronger mages in the guild. Since the old master left and Lady Minerva took over, they moved rooms around and hadn't filled one, so it became mine. Some of the other mages on my floor were Lady Minerva, Sting, Rogue, Yukino, Orga, and Rufus. There were a few others, but I haven't gotten the chance to properly meet them.

_'Also I suck at remembering names…'_

I sighed as I remember the events of earlier that night. I had left Lady Minerva's' office and went downstairs with the Twins and everything became so crazy!

-Flashback-

As soon as we left Lady Minerva's' office I had to hug Sting and Rogue. "Thank you so much for bringing me here! Sting-sama, Rogue-sama!"

Sting let out a chuckle and Rogue smiled. They both turned to me and Sting told me, "You know, you don't have to keep using 'sama' with us. We're your guildmates now, your friends! So just call us Sting and Rogue." I blushed a little, "Oh yea, ok!"

"Good. Now let's go downstairs and break the news to everyone!" he said excitedly. Sting ran down the hallway and Rogue just shook his head with a smile and started after him. I walked alongside Rogue. I got to the doorway of the stairs when I looked down into the guildhall and saw literally _everyone _in the guild looking at me. I gave a small smile and waved, "Hi everyone!" I said softly with a smile. They all started up asking me questions and such, which frankly overwhelmed me a little. The white-haired girl I recognized as Yukino got everyone's attention. "WAIT! Why don't we all be quiet and let her tell us about herself before we keep bombarding her with questions?" There was a brief silence before a low rumble of agreement went through the guild. Yukino looked up at me, "Can you come downstairs and onto the stage so you can tell us about yourself?" I nodded and walked down the stairs. Yukino held out her hand and I took hers so she could show me to the guild hall stage. I sat on a stool and everyone gathered around me to hear what I had to say.

'_Geez, where do I begin?' _

"Hi everyone, I guess I should start with the basics… My name is Brianne Clarke, I'm 20 years old, and I'm a requip mage. I'm a pretty peaceful person, as I like to avoid conflict if possibly, but I'll be sure to be in the middle of the action once it starts. I've never been in a guild before, as I've been traveling for the last few years of my life, so this will be an adventure… I'm excited to meet you all!"

There was a loud applause, and then someone yelled, "LET'S PARTY!" and everyone went _crazy_. Sting and Rogue came up to the stage, followed by their exceeds and the three mages from earlier. Rogue came up to me, "Since everyone has gone insane, we thought it would be a good time to introduce you to our three closest friends in Sabertooth. This is Orga Nanagear, Rufus Lore, and Yukino Aguria."

"Hello! I, uh, I told Sting and Rogue this, but I'm actually a big fan of Sabertooth. I already know some things about you guys from Sorcerer Weekly." I told them nervously.

"Ah yes, but there are things about us that we don't tell the magazines," Rufus retorted with a sly smile.

I laughed a little, "That is very true. I look forward to learning more about you guys and getting to know you personally." Yukino stepped forwards and turned to the guys, "Why don't you guys join the party and let us girls talk? We'll join you later."

Sting jumped off the stage, shouting, "Hell yea, Party time!"

Rogue rolled his eyes and went off the stage after him.

Rufus followed, remarking, "Seeing Sting get stupidly drunk again will be humorous."

"HEY!"

Orga left as well, mumbling, "Let's just get some drinks."

As soon as they left, Yukino turned to me. "Hi, Brianne! I'm glad to finally get some time to talk with you! Those boys can be so loud and obnoxious sometimes…" she joked.

I smiled and replied, "That maybe be true, but for me it's a nice change of pace to have such exciting people around me, or people at all really! It's been a while since I've been around so many people."

"Oh, that's right! You said you've been traveling for a while now?"

I nodded. "I've been traveling for about three years now, so I haven't had much interaction with large groups of people apart from town crowds."

"That does sound a little lonely… Either way, I'm glad you've joined us now. You won't have to be alone anymore." She said comfortingly.

"Thank you Yukino, that means a lot." We hugged, and Yukino remembered something. "I almost forgot! Where do you want your guild mark?" I gave it a quick thought, "How about on the back of my left shoulder?" "Sure, what color?" "Maroon is good."

I felt Yukino press the stamp onto my back, and a little warmth spread over the area. I now bore the proud mark of Sabertooth on my shoulder.

Yukino led me down to where the guys were, and we began chatting. Sting drunkenly raved about his adventures with Rogue, while Rufus and Rogue watched amusedly, though Rogue showed a hint of 'oh my god my partner is an idiot' on his face. For the next few hours I went around and got to know people, and learned a bit more about the five mages I had become friends with. Around 3am, I yawned really loudly, which caught the attention of the mages. Sting, in his drunken stupor, brought up that it had been a full day since I met them and came to Sabertooth, so Rogue suggested we all go back to sleep. Realizing that I just joined that day, I had to ask, "Do I have anywhere to sleep yet?"

All five mages lit up. "We have the perfect place!" they exclaimed.

They lead me upstairs to their floor and showed me the room, saying that it might be a little small.

I shook my head at them. "Nonsense, it's perfect! Thanks guys."

They all said goodnight, Rogue mentioning that everyone lives on this floor as well, so if I need anything, just ask. Orga and Rufus left first, wishing everyone a goodnight. Rogue guided out a drunk Sting, who said he's "looging forword to are sbarring match toborrow". I threw back a goodnight and a "see you tomorrow". Yukino started towards the door and turned to me, "I'm really glad you joined Sabertooth. I can't wait to hang out and go on missions with you! I'll be cheering you on during your spar tomorrow." I smiled really big, "Of course!" We shared a hug, and then she left to her own apartment.

-End of Flashback-

I thought about what I did since then, getting ready for bed and putting what few possessions I have away safely.

_'I need to summon all of my boots tomorrow since I can store them in my room now instead of that safe that has for me. I hope he's doing ok… It sucks that I can't contact him even though I store my boots at his house!'_

I got into bed, nervous about the meeting tomorrow, but excited for my sparring match.


	5. Chapter 5

I woke up and got ready for the day, and gathered my boots in my room.

_'I'm glad I finally have a place to keep my boots that's nearby. It was unnerving having them so far away.'_

I went downstairs to meet up with my five new mage friends, and we had breakfast before Lady Minerva came down to us.

"Good morning everyone. Now that you're done with breakfast, why don't we have a little sparring match?" She suggested. She looked to me, "I'd like to see what kind of power you have before the meeting happens, so I can properly gauge your possible threat level."

I nodded, "Ok, that's a good idea."

I, along with Sting, Rogue, and Yukino, followed Lady Minerva outside to a large field behind the guild. Orga and Rufus had a request to fulfill, so they were unable to come with us. Sting and I got into position to start our spar, and I saw Lady Minerva give a sly smile. "I look forward to seeing what you can do. You may begin when ready."

I looked back at Sting, and we made eye contact. Sting teased, "I'm also eager to see what you can do. It seems a little unfair that you know all of my moves, and I know none of yours."

"Oh _ha ha_. You _know_ it won't matter if I know your moves. Plus the unknown might actually let me get some hits in," I teased back.

"I'd _love_ to see you try." He retorted with a smirk.

I immediately initiated the fight, running right up to him and kicking with my training boots. He blocked all of my attempted hits and I jumped back. He attacked with a few punches, his last one hitting me in the shoulder and throwing me back. We charged each other again, feet and hands flying, with Sting coming out as the victor.

I decided to requip into my regular boots, "Ok, the training boots are off" I said in a serious tone. He raised an eyebrow, and I was able to catch him by surprise with my increased speed. I managed to connect a number of kicks to his stomach and chest, knocking him back a few feet.

"Wow, you managed to hit me! This is getting exciting!" he exclaimed, pumping his fist downwards.

Sting powered up with White drive and charged me. I dodged as best I could but was losing ground.

'_I need to get out of this!' _

I quickly requipped into my winged boots, which allowed me to fly up and away from Sting.

After a bit of dodging and regaining some space, I switched back to my regular boots and stepped up my kickboxing game with a bit of breakdance fighting. He struggled for a bit, but caught up to me. I stepped back from the fight momentarily so I could concentrate on my magic.

I requipped to a special pair of boots that I hadn't used in a while, as they were reserved for very powerful opponents. I saw everyone look at me, confused, as I expected. My 'boots' were actually just wrappings on my feet and lower legs with a ruby colored jewel on the top of each foot. I concentrated on my magic and let it flow through the boots, which lit up the jewel and carved symbols of light on the wrappings. Sting's expression changed from confused to excited, and opened his arms to say 'come get me'.

I gave him a devilish smile.

I came at him quickly, and he was barely able to dodge my strikes. I missed him and kicked the ground, startling everyone with the 6 foot wide crater I made. Sting was still surprised by the crater, so the next thing he knew, he was careening backwards with a pain in his stomach. He hit the dirt with a hard 'thud' and slowly got up.

"That was a damn hard hit! Time to get serious." He shouted. I felt myself shake with fear and anticipation.

Sting had just powered up to White Dragon mode.

He came at me again and I could barely keep up. I started to retreat and trip up, allowing him to hit me and send me back a few feet. He gave me a chance to catch my breath, and I tried to course even more magic through my boots.

My eyes snapped open.

'_Not now. __**Please**__ not now.'_

I could feel it.

My dark magic was bubbling up.

I had tried to use too much of my magic, so all I had left was the dark magic.

I looked up at Sting and yelled, "Wait! SHIT!"

Everyone paused and noticed me on my knees, shaking. I couldn't help but panic.

"MY DARK MAGIC, ITS"

* * *

><p><em>'uugh… What the hell hit me?'<em>

'_OH SHIT.'_

I snapped my eyes open and sat straight up and looked around, fearing the worst; but just like when I was with , I saw no blood or bodies. Only concerned faces staring back at mine.

Sting spoke up first, "Are you ok? I didn't think I hit you _that_ hard…"

His question didn't register. I was still in shock about what happened. I looked between Sting, Rogue, Yukino, and Lady Minerva.

"Everything is ok. No one is hurt. I was stopped." I quietly told myself.

I felt a tear or two roll down my cheek before my exhaustion from the spar hit me. I smiled as I blacked out again.

* * *

><p>"Is she finally awake?"<p>

_'Yukino?'_

I opened my eyes, slowly this time, and found myself in my bedroom, with Yukino sitting by my side. I was still in my clothes and boots from the spar. I turned to Yukino and asked, "What happened? My dark power was going to take over, but I was stopped? How long was I unconscious?"

She smiled sadly and told me, "You overused your regular magic when Sting overpowered you, and in the end your dark magic surfaced. After you blacked out, Sting and Lady Minerva restrained you and knocked you out, which stopped the flow of the dark magic. You didn't end up hurting anyone, which was good. As for how long you were asleep, it's been two days." She answered hesitantly.

I was a little shocked to say the least. "Really?! I guess that makes sense… The last time I was out from my dark magic it was at least a day or two, and I haven't expended my magic like that in a few years…" I sat on the edge of my bed next to Yukino and gave her a side hug, "Thanks for taking care of me, I'm alright now."

Yukino giggled, "It's about lunch time, why don't we go down to the guild hall? You can get some food and let everyone know you're ok. Sting was worried that he had hurt you."

"Aw, I'm glad he cares" I said with a chuckle. "He really is strong… I'm going to need to train hard to beat him! I want to be able to fight against both Sting and Rogue together some day."

"I'm sure you'll be able to Brianne! Judging by how you did against Sting the other day, you'll get there in no time. You just need more practice and control." She stood up from my bed. "Let's go meet everyone" She said with a grin.

* * *

><p>Yukino and I went downstairs and I was swarmed by a frantically apologizing White dragon slayer. I told him it was alright, and that I would beat him next time we sparred! Lady Minerva and Rogue joined us and made sure I was ok, asking me how I was feeling. I said I was doing well, and thanked Lady Minerva and Sting for stopping me. Lady Minerva spoke up, "Why don't we gather everyone for the meeting to explain Brianne's powers, and so they know what actually happened during the spar." She had a distasteful look on her face as she said, "Unfortunately, rumors are being spread around the guild of what occurred the other day. They need to be set straight."<p>

As everyone gathered in Lady Minerva's expansive office, I stood next to her throne like chair, nervously shifting. I could feel squinted eyes on me, and hear faint whispers of doubt escaping their lips. Yukino stood in the front of the crowd, giving me a reassuring smile. It helped me relax a little bit.

As everyone arrived and settled, Lady Minerva spoke. "Thank you all for coming. I gathered everyone here to discuss the commotion that surrounded our newest member two days ago. I had requested that Sting and Brianne engage in a spar to see what Brianne was capable of, and what type of fighting style she used. Rogue and Yukino came to spectate. The spar began and was heated, but Brianne's powers escalated out of control, and the fight was cut short. Her magic is the main reason that I need everyone here. What I'm about to tell you all is important, and could save your lives." At those words, the crowd started heatedly whispering again, and some looked at me warily.

"Silence!" Lady Minerva demanded. "Allow me to explain. Brianne has within her a dark magic that is very dangerous when released. If this were to happen, she would have the capacity to kill any and all of you; but this is something that can be prevented. Brianne has told us, and put into practice during the spar, that her dark magic can only be released in bouts of extreme anger, or when her normal magic is used completely and she attempts to continue to fight. As long as these two conditions are not created, Brianne will be a perfectly safe person to have in company, but if either of these situations does occur, then you are to alert the two strongest mages in the vicinity and myself, so she can be stopped."

The crowd seemed to relax a little, but I could tell that some still felt worried.

"I want to stress to all of you that while Brianne has the _ability_ to be a serious threat, it is not her _choice_ to be. Please do not be afraid of her or think badly of her because of this. Lastly, there is something controversial that I need all of you to know about her. Brianne is wanted by the magic council."

A collective gasp was heard from the crowd, but was silenced again by Lady Minerva's hand

"I know it sounds bad, but Brianne was not in control of herself when she committed the crimes she is wanted for. As your master, and your leader, I ask that Brianne's fugitive status be kept a secret. I'm confident that we as a guild can help her recover from her dark past, and free her from the possible condemnation that she would face against the council. Can you all do that?"

Silence befell the room, and I felt rejected until Yukino's determined voice broke through it. "Yes!"

Sting and Rogue's voiced followed, "Yes!"

Then Orga and Rufus, "Yes!"

Soon everyone had shouted their conformation, promising proudly to keep me safe and help me.

I had remained quietly in shock the whole meeting, and felt compelled by the voices of my guild mates, so I shouted, "Thank you everyone, for accepting me and my past!"

Lady Minerva smiled, "Thank you all, you are dismissed."

I stood by my master's side as everyone filed out of her office, and she caught Sting, Rogue, Yukino, Orga, and Rufus, telling them to wait for a moment.

"You five are the strongest mages in Sabertooth other than myself, so I am trusting all of you to stop Brianne if she ever loses control again."

The five mages exchanged glances.

"During the spar, Sting and I stopped Brianne by holding her down and knocking her out. I'm not sure if it could have been done by just him, or even just myself, so I'm requesting that two people be with her at all times where the risk would arise. If she loses control, one will restrain her while the other knocks her out. I'm confident that all five of you are capable of this in any combination."

They all nodded in agreement.

Lady Minerva looked to me, "Brianne, I know that we'll be able to help you with your powers. Don't be afraid. We will always be there to help you."

I smiled and nodded my head, trusting my master.


	6. Chapter 6

I stood outside the gates of Sabertooth, waiting for Sting and Rogue to meet me. (After we had breakfast, we separated to gather our belongings for our journey.)

I saw them walking together toward me, probably discussing the mission.

"_Or if they'd have to deal with my powers" _I thought bitterly.

My thoughts shot back to my memories of last night.

Of my nightmare.

* * *

><p>I was being rejected and shunned, even attacked by the mages of Sabertooth. They berated me and called me a dangerous freak, decreeing that I was never to return to Sabertooth. Even my new friends ran me out of the guild. I turned away from them and stood in front of myself, or rather, the embodiment of my dark magic. It smiled maliciously and spoke to me in my voice, albeit a little more raspy, "<em>No one will ever accept you, for you are a danger to all. Just give up! You should give into the darkness and kill them all for rejecting you<em>."

I shook and took a step back, "No!"

"_Give in Brianne, take the pain away_."

"NO!" I shouted, grasping my head.

I opened my eyes, seeing that I was sitting up in my bed, grasping my head like in the dream. I sighed and checked the clock, seeing that I had to get breakfast in three hours.

I didn't go back to sleep.

* * *

><p>I shook my head and erased the memories from my mind. The nightmare was over, and I was back in reality where I was accepted. I just needed to keep the memory of when I first met everyone from the guild, and yesterday when they accepted me and my faults. It was a new day, and I needed to focus on the mission at hand.<p>

The Twins had reached the gates by the time I finished thinking to myself, and noticed me staring off into space. I gave them a little wave to ease the tension, and then we went over our travel route.

Sting held the map, explaining "It'll take a few hours to walk to Magnolia, but in the mean time we can talk about your powers and tell you about Fairy Tail!"

"You guys just don't want to take the train" I coyly explained.

Rogue looked away, apparently interested in a bird flying by, and Sting sputtered, "I-uh what noooo…"

I gave him a knowing look.

"Ok, you're right…"

I chuckled at his defeat, "That's alright guys; it'll be nice to slow down and have time to talk."

* * *

><p>Sting, Rogue, and I were on a mission given to us directly by Lady Minerva. We were to deliver an important message to Fairy Tail's master Makarov. Lady Minerva allowed me to go with the twin dragons because it would be a relatively safe and social first mission for me. I was so excited! Not only was this my very first mission as a mage of Sabertooth, but I would get to meet and interact with the mages of Fiore's strongest guild, Fairy Tail!<p>

* * *

><p>We arrived in Magnolia and were walking through the center of the town to get to our hotel. I was excited to be in a town without having to worry about other people attacking me or what I was going to buy to survive. I marveled at the beautiful park as we passed through the center of town, but stopped when something caught my eye; or more accurately, some<em>one<em>.

A tall young man in a white cloak sat under a large tree in the middle of the park, talking to two young ladies, his back facing to me. I stopped walking and stared for a minute before I realized why I thought he looked familiar. I had met him before, back when I had first fled my village.

It was him.

The one who I trusted with my secret.

The one who betrayed me and told the council what I did.

The one who practically led them to me like cows to the slaughter.

It was _him._

The image of my dark-self popped into my mind, smiling that wicked smile saying, "_It was his fault. End him."_

My power flared as I walked, then jogged, then ran, then _sprinted_ at him.

"_YOU!" _I yelled as I ran in fury, readying my leg to strike.

He turned around, and I could see his realization and recognition in his eyes, the moment before I kicked him square in the chest.

"_You_ were the one who told the council about me, _weren't _you?!" I growled as he hit the ground.

He slowly sat up and wheezed, "I only wanted to find help for you, since you wouldn't seek it on your own."

I couldn't believe him. He thought he was _helping_ me.

"Help me? I didn't need any help! Did you really think that the magic council would help me? They were ready to lock me in jail or worse when they sent those men to their deaths." I declared angrily.

He looked stunned.

Perfect.

I charged once again, swinging my leg with no hesitation. He blocked it with his wooden staff, recovering.

"Is this how you want to avenge those that you've killed in your past?" He asked, "By killing _me_? You'll simply be repeating the memories that you loath so much!"

Our battle fell into full swing; I unleashed a savage flurry of kicks to which the story collector barely blocked. He had some skill, tripping me with a swipe of his staff. We traded blows back and forth, seemingly evenly matched as a large crowd began gathering around the park.

We jumped away from each other to catch our breaths. We maintained fierce eye contact. I decided to change the tide of our battle. In a flash of light I requipped to my lighter boots from my training ones. He looked surprised as I lunged forward, dodging his staff, and landing close to ten blows on his chest and head. Alex flew backwards, hitting the ground hard.

I smirked as he gathered himself. "_He doesn't know that I use requip magic. This will be easy."_

I changed my boots yet again, this time to my winged boots. I flew high above him, gaining the advantage as he struggled to stand.

"Are you ready to admit defeat yet, Story Collector?" I taunted, my face shadowed.

He gritted his teeth. "The only defeat around here will be YOURS!" He roared. I shielded my eyes, as in a flash, he transformed into an ice bear.

"What?!" I yelled. "_This is getting ridiculous! I need to end this fight fast."_

I flew at him, aiming a kick straight for his snout. He roared again, and somehow froze my leg in a chunk of ice, which dragged me down through the air. He pounced and tackled me, pinning me to the dirt. With another roar he froze me to the ground.

I started into his eyes with all the hatred I could muster. "_Damn him!_ _How is he able to keep up with me?! No mater, he's exhausted. If I can just summon a bit more power I can-"_

"!"

"_No_! Not now! Not _again_!" I cried.

My dark magic was bubbling up to the surface. I felt scared until the pressure of my enemy was released from me by a white blast. I relaxed as I blacked out, reassured by the presence of my friends.

* * *

><p>I felt strangely calm as I awoke. I could feel myself laying on a soft bed and the now alert presences of my two companions. I opened my eyes to find Rogue sitting next to me on the bed and Sting leaning against the wall by the window.<p>

Rogue gently asked me, "How are you feeling?"

I could tell that he was being cautious about what had happened.

"I'm fine, thanks guys. I'm sorry if I got out of hand… I just couldn't control myself…"

"I've been feeling that you haven't been yourself today. Who was that and why did you attack him? I-if you don't mind me asking…" Rogue hesitantly asked.

My face set into a grimace as I remembered_ him_. "Do you two remember when I told you about my past, the boy I met in the forest?"

They nodded, the realization flashing through their eyes.

"He was the one who told the council about what I did, and I still haven't forgiven him for sending those men to me, and their deaths. I just felt pure rage rise up, and I wanted revenge…"

Sting chimed in, "Was this related to you feeling off since this morning?"

"Oh... yea, it was very much related. I didn't want to worry you guys at all since I wanted to focus on our mission, but I had a nightmare last night... about _it._"

Sting and Rogue moved in a little closer, realizing that I was talking about the dark magic. "Can you tell us what happened?"

I told them about my nightmare from the night before, everything I could remember.

Sting looked a little skeptical. "Wait, you told us that the nightmares have been away for a long time, how could you have one again?"

"I had told you correctly, Sting. I haven't had a nightmare in around a year, but I think because of the incident during our spar the other day, they've returned."

I could tell that Sting and Rogue felt uneasy still, so I reassured them, "Don't' worry too much though; I was able to stop it on my own. I have the memories of my guild mates and friends to help me combat the evil incarnation my mind made."

The twins smiled at my cheesy line, relaxing a bit.

"That's right, we'll be here to help you get rid of this thing that plagues you" Rogue said. "I hate to end the moment though, but we still have a message to deliver."

"That's cool Rogue, I'm feeling better now. Let's get going" I replied.

On our way out I thought about my confrontation from earlier, and resolved to meet with the story collector again and make things right.

"_I shouldn't've attacked him like I did. My hurt from his actions didn't justify my own actions. I'm sure he didn't mean to do the harm that he did."_

I would need to apologize.

"Hey you guys, before we go back to the guild, I need to talk to Alex again. I overreacted and need to apologize" I said as we reached the gates of our destination.

Sting grinned sheepishly, "I actually promised to meet with the story collector again tomorrow anyways."

I crossed my arms indignantly and mocked, "Gee thanks, were you going to tell me this at all today?"

Sting chuckled nervously, so I smiled, "Well it worked out anyways, so thank you Sting."

He sighed comically, releasing the breath he was holding. I chuckled and turned to face the large building in front of us.

"So this is Fairy Tail, huh?"


End file.
